The regular potatoes are usually the vegetable of choice to satisfy your carbohydrate needs for the day. However, very little attention is paid to its distant cousin, the sweet potato. The sweet potato has many nutritional benefits since it’s a rich source of magnesium, Omega 3, fatty acids, potassium, sodium, zinc and vitamins such as A, B, C, E and K.

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Sweet Potato Nutritional Facts

Sweet potato contains vital compounds such as anthocyanin and beta-carotene. Anthocyanin offers many anti-inflammatory benefits that promote skin health while reducing pigmentation marks and blotches. Beta-carotene helps fight cancer , prevents the risk of several cardiovascular diseases, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration. Vitamins A, B, C, K, and E possess antioxidant properties that help to fight damage caused by free radicals.

Read on to learn about the benefits of sweet potato that make it a “fountain of youth” for you.

• Anti-aging

  The National Institute of Health has found sweet potatoes contain 100% of vitamin A-RDA, commonly found in anti-ageing creams. So, including a healthy intake of sweet potato meals in your daily diet will help you fight early signs of ageing, reduce blotches, pigmentation and sagging skin. Sweet potatoes are packed with rich-magnesium to aid weight loss by metabolising carbohydrates . The presence of fiber in sweet potatoes forms a gel with water to help the body maintain water balance to keep your skin hydrated all day long. It is also recognised as a fasting food in India since it prevents dehydration by providing your body with essential vitamins, nutrients and minerals.

• Treating oily skin

  For oily skin treatment , use a sweet potato mask in its natural form to get rid of excess oil. Boil sweet potatoes, and mash them nicely when cooled. Now add a tablespoon of honey to the mashed potatoes in a bowl and spread it evenly on your skin to naturally bleach and moisturize the area. However, if you suffer from oily pigmented skin, add a few drops of lemon juice to the mashed sweet potatoes. Mix it and apply the paste on oily areas of your face. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, and then wash your face without soap, pat dry. Regular application of this mask at least thrice a week can help treat oily skin surfaces with pores oozing oil.

• Reducing under-eye dark circles and puffiness of eyes

  When you peel off the orange or purple tater, set aside a slice or two to place it on your eyes before sleep. You can notice the visible changes over a period by regularly following this practice. The anthocyanin content in sweet potatoes helps reduce under-eye dark circles, puffy eyes and wrinkles for a perfect youthful glow the next morning.

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Revive, rejuvenate, oxidize, hydrate and de-stress your skin with this simple beauty food; high in vitamin C levels to produce collagen that helps maintain elasticity of the skin and keep signs of premature ageing away. If you make sweet potatoes a fixture in your diet, you’ll soon find that age is truly just a number!

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